Talking About The Pain
by Viv N -ChildishGrin
Summary: Eli thinks back on how he feels about his relationship with someone after he didn't attend her play. [Oneshot, Companion: Listening to the Pain]


A/N: HELLO ALLLL! Hehe… this is my first O&A fic, but not my 1rst fic. N/way, I've been a big E/G fan since I got hooked on this show.

I apologize if there is any problem with my english. I'm from a French high school (Mtl) and although I'm pretty much bilingual, I sumtime make mistake writing. (And take notice of those my messages, these are intentional…)

So enjoy n plz R&R!!!

Talking About the Pain

(Eli's POV)

It hurt. 

It hurt that she avoided him.

It was only a few weeks ago that he had let her down. That he didn't show up at the play. She still wasn't over it.

Neither was he.

'I don't even deserve to be in the same house than her.'

She avoided him. Sure, she didn't sprint out of a room whenever he appeared in it but she did it subtlety.

In fact, she would sometime  knock on his door or even open it and call out his name to wake him up in the morning. But she talked to him almost as if she was talking to a stranger. She spoke to him placidly, with a hint of coldness only he seemed to discern.

'Physically there, mentally out.' He thought, banging his fist on the floor before putting his guitar aside.

She could be sitting next to him, yet still evade him. She purposely ignored him most of the time.

He remembered that night, when he came home right after her.

She was soaked… soaked by rain or by tears? He couldn't tell. She simply shrugged his hand off her shoulder and walked away.

And when she turned around to go meet her friends in the living room, something hit him. It was as if something suddenly clicked in him.

She was beautiful.

Her hair was longer than he thought. The wet light brown mass clung to her back but seemed to create a halo around her face. Her lips were slightly puffed and her eyes… her eyes were the deepest he had ever seen. They were shining, but not of joy. They were red because tears had just fell from them… Tears of sadness, anger… and pain.

Tears of pain that he had caused. 

A sharp pain that had also hit him when he looked at her.

His eyes were stinging, tears threatening to spill.

'I was an idiot… I know I was stupid. A jerk, a jackass, a asshole, a… a… a failure.'

Something else came back to his mind.

Her teacher.  He remembered when she had barged into his room, crying, yelling that the whole school thought she and Mr. Dimitri were having an affair.

He pretended to be annoyed, even shocked, but inside of him, he was boiling.

When she screamed at him to leave, anger filled him.

But that rage was not directed at her. In fact, he wanted to either run over her teacher's house or the kid who spread the rumor and pummel him.

Instead he simply hurriedly left the garage to let her talk with Jessie.

He was relieved when Mr. Dimitri was suspended, even if it was temporary.

***

'I'm a nobody.' He whispered bitterly.

He had tried talking to her nearly everyday. But she always managed to slip away from his grasp.

Even at Zoe's recent birthday party, he had sat beside her but she barely acknowledge his presence. She seemed friendly to him, but inside, he knew that she didn't want him around.

They never really hung out. He was often out doing his things while she was busy with all kinds of school projects. 

But there had always been a connection between the two of them. 

They rarely spent time alone together but when they did, they were like old friends, or even like a couple.

But that connection was gone now. 

She had blocked him, building up a wall whenever he was at proximity.

***

It suddenly dammed on him.

Why he was so jealous of any guys that were interested in her. Why he was so protective of her.

Why he would suddenly change around her, both in a good and bad way. 

How his mind would sometime go blank at her sight and he would stutter when she looked at him with a worried look.

Or how he would smile when she did. How she supported him in his hardest time, how she challenged him, how she believed in him… 

And made him a better person.

'But now I'm nothing more than a wreck.'

He often wanted to just hold her, touch her, seek her out.

And sometime…

Kiss her.

He suddenly relented.

That was impossible. She was his stepsister, he couldn't like her like that. 

But then he realized he didn't like her.

It seemed so obvious to him now.

***

"I love you Grace Manning."

"No you're not."

He bolted from his place at the sound of her voice. Grace was standing at the door.

"You're not and idiot… You're not stupid. You're not a jerk, a wreck, a nobody and even less a failure." She murmured.

He stood there, completely speechless.

"But you got the jackass and asshole part right." She smiled slightly, slowly walking up to him.

She seemed to be floating to him.

She reached up and gently swiped away the remaining tears of the young man's face.

"All this time… and I thought you were only trying to be a good brother. Or stepbrother."

He gaped at her.

Damn it.

So miserable he felt, he didn't even realize he was talking out loud all along.

"You… you heard everything?"

A soft smile appeared on her lips and she shrugged.

"I'm sor-"

His words were forgotten when he felt Grace's hand on the back of his neck and something warm on his lips.

He didn't know how it happened but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Her lips were so soft and gentle.

They soon broke apart to breathe.

She giggled. "Came to tell ya dinner's ready."

She then turned around and walked toward the door.

He stood there, dumbfounded, dazed, eyes still in a haze.

He went out of his trance when he heard her sweet laugh.

"Are you coming or not?"

Grinning, he strode up to her and captured her before kissing her.

She squealed and blushed, although she was the one who had initiated the first kiss.

Her eyes were twinkling of glee.

"I got a new job." He suddenly announced proudly.

"And I love you Eli Sammler." She replied matter-o-factly, as if it was perfectly normal.

She slipped back to the dining room, still giggling, and he followed close behind, smiling at her in adoration.

His every feature was glowing of happiness.

She has forgiven him.

 -----------------------

So… is it good? Is it bad? Constructive criticism is welcome.

BTW, should I post this fic in Grace's POV too?

Take care!

ViNguyen 


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